News United nations

Africa holds a huge proportion of the world’s natural resources and the impact that the extractive Industry is having on biodiversity, ecosystems and local communities is a great concern. Across Africa, case studies abound in which extraction of minerals, forest products, oil and gas has left devastated landscapes and disillusioned communities.

BirdLife International is participating in the first universal Governing Council/Global Ministerial Forum (GC/GMEF) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) currently underway in Kenya’s capital city Nairobi from 18th to 22nd February 2013.

As the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity kicks off, Conservation International, BirdLife and TNC challenge world leaders to raise development aid by 20 percent and domestic budgets for biodiversity by 10 percent

It's now official - 2011 is the UN International year of the forests. "BirdLife welcomes the spotlight this year falling on the lungs of our planet and home to the majority of the World's biodiversity", said Dr Marco Lambertini, BirdLife International's Chief Executive.